


Elemental Duran Duran: Songwriting and Style, Pt. III

by yourlibrarian



Series: Music Reviews [3]
Category: Duran Duran
Genre: 1990s, 90's Music, Gen, Meta, Nonfiction, Reviews
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23202235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourlibrarian/pseuds/yourlibrarian
Summary: Album reviews written at the time of release, from 1990 to 1995
Series: Music Reviews [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668115
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3
Collections: March Meta Matters Challenge





	Elemental Duran Duran: Songwriting and Style, Pt. III

While _Big Thing_ resolved the issue of how the disparate musical forces in the group could succeed cohesively, _Liberty_ would raise a more troubling one. How much of their musical accomplishment could be attributed to production rather than songwriting skills?

This question first became apparent in the turnaround of "The Reflex" from the album to single version, although the issue may really have surfaced in the production of "Is There Something I Should Know," a single on which a great deal of money was spent. Of course, Nile Rogers also produced the dull "Wild Boys" and the unremarkable _Notorious_ album. Yet it's curious that, after _Big Thing_ , Nick Rhodes could be heard to blame Rogers for the relative commercial failure of _Notorious_. This is probably because _Big Thing_ stole more from Chic than Rogers might have felt comfortable with during his own stint at the boards, and sounded better for it. 

Of course _Big Thing_ was a definite commercial failure in the U.S., and the band went producer shopping again, this time promoting Chris Kimsey as their new savior. After listening to "Burning the Ground" to note just how much can be done by production alone, the band should have chosen to keep writing until every song on the album could be turned into a great remix. It wasn't to be. Though better than _Notorious_ it was most disturbing to hear that _Liberty_ was to be the band's personal make-or-break album. They would not tour for it, the promotion was spotty, and it would soon appear that the band's heart was no longer in their work.

99 ) **Violence of Summer** : My first thought upon hearing this tune was that it sounded like David Bowie doing the Beach Boys. It is very 60's in a way, in the same manner that "Tequila" & "Sugar Shack" are. There is in fact, a pervasive American-rock flavor to the whole album, as if the band were kissing up to its most coveted audience by recycling what is currently in most favor -- oldies. On its own, it is a catchy tune. Le Bon appears to have screamed himself hoarse before laying down his final track, as his voice is actually husky. The lyrics, while simple, work well and paint a clearer picture than his earlier (by his own description, "precious") writing ever did. The synthesizer is put to good use. It may be no "Rio", but it is fun and easy to understand why they chose an amusement park for the album shoot. Unfortunately the album's late release spoiled the potential tie-in.

100) **Violence of Summer (Remixes):** Ever since "7" we have been assaulted with waves of different remixes. Unfortunately most remixes can usually be boiled down to three different versions before the song becomes unbearable and this song is no exception. Nevertheless when I heard the first beats of the "Power Mix" I couldn't sit still. Duran has stated that this album is a return to its roots. This is crock (all the more so since that statement has accompanied every album). But it is certainly true that there are a number of good dance tracks here and that is, after all, the true forte of Duran Duran . The "Rock and Roll" mix should have been dropped from the U.S. 12 inch release and the "Dub Mix" is so-so but the "Story" version was unbearable. At least if they were going to flop -- big -- (Simon might have pulled off a rap, but his writing was inexcusable) they were smart enough to bury it on a 12".

101) **Liberty:** It's a bad sign when the title track is this unexciting. "Big Thing" wasn't a great track either, but it had the advantage of being an interesting sound. "Liberty" never really goes anywhere. The lyrics are the most interesting thing, again, showing a marked trend towards literal storytelling. Le Bon also tries new things vocally (this song might be the single reason why they won't be doing live shows) which pass muster. But there are no explosions here.

102) **Hothead:** The eerie background synthesizer is a cute touch in this track, which is a wonderfully quirky departure from anything Duran has ever done before. Although I was reminded of U2's "Desire" with the "news" drop-ins, that was the only resemblance. The position on the LP also shows this track off.

103) **Serious:** This song takes repeated listenings to grow on you. Although it's harder to name than on other tracks, "Serious" also has a deja vu feeling to it. While at first being rather bland, Le Bon's chorus does stick after a while. The use of piano on this track and "Liberty" are especially nice. After "Hothead" it's a good cool-down, and it's a pleasant radio tune.

104) **All Along the Water:** Even though this rhythm seems familiar too, it's a nice beat, a bouncy tune. The vocal sounds just great and the chorus is painless, foot-tapping material. We've all stopped expecting le Bon's lyrics to make any sense.

105) **Antarctica:** The first few moments of this track seem to herald the alarming beginning to some foggy New Age tune. But not to fear -- there is a nice, subtly Latin rhythm on this one and the keyboards soften it up. The lilting melody of le Bon's voice actually sounds soulful on the choruses. He may be just on the edge of losing the notes at some points but that's what studio sound is for.

105) **First Impressions:** My first impression was that this was my favorite track on the album. No kidding. I liked the storyline, and the background vocals added to the song. Good beat, nice guitar work by Cuccurullo. It's also danceable in a straightfoward rock and roll manner. Le Bon seems to be having fun and it's easy for the listener to join in. Another great potential single. As le Bon sings, "seize the possibility".

106) **Read My Lips:** Despite repeated listenings, I couldn't remember the name of this song. Ironic, considering who coined its title. I found it quite unfortunate that this track, which is the closest thing to a Power Station tune on a Duran album, should begin in such a copycat manner. The "rockit" order as the song begins is obvious enough, but the next thing we hear is the drive right off of Prince's "Controversy" tune. It's true that everyone these days samples, but it could make a listener nervous after the complete steal of "Do You Believe in Shame". The lyrics are a rehash of those on "Liberty". What does redeem the song somewhat is the quality of musicianship on it. Le Bon again tries to give the song its own character, and Warren Cucurullo gets a chance to show off that, yes, he plays guitar. The melody is a quirky blend of rock and synthesizer frills, but it's too simple to merit all this effort. The ending break is the best part of all, le Bon's passion injecting enough enthusiasm to make you pay attention to the rest. Too bad it arrives so late. 

107) **Can You Deal With It:** The opening beat of this tune immediately recalled to mind the European House version of "All She Wants Is" which we've heard too often in those countless remixes. Couldn't they have found another one?

108) **Venice Drowning:** There's a pleasant sound to this song, particularly in the chorus. The bass has got a nice throb to it but the rhythm section doesn't overwhelm the song. Like in "Big Thing" the bass end dominates this album with the synthesizer nicely used as filler. "Liberty" is a good example of what happens when a song gets a tired rhythm and melody and the synthesizer doesn't receive some kind of appealing showcase. Le Bon's voice goes well with this song and the fade-out is particularly appetizing.

109) **Downtown:** The opening bits of this song sound like "Skin Trade" put through a fuzzy distorter and we've heard enough mixes of that song too. There are no exciting bits in this song either and production effects can't make up for a formless tune. All in all it sounds like a Prince reject without some interesting vocal experiments from the Purple One. What a terrible way to close out the album. I could hardly wait for this song to end and that hardly encourages a push of the "repeat" button on the old CD player.

110) **Throb:** This is the first instrumental we've heard from Duran since the excellent "Tiger, Tiger" (which was the most redeeming thing on the "7" album). This is a pleasant little tune, easy to listen to but too unmemorable for a song. It was also too nice to waste (though I don't see their logic in saving and releasing a synthesizer thesis like "Throb" while never using an interesting and insinuating number like "Capitol Chill" from "Big Thing".) If Nick Rhodes ever leaves the band this song will certainly get him a contract with Wyndham Hill.




The whole post- _Liberty_ era only seemed to recall LeBon's mid-1980s quote that the band would quit when what they did was no longer fun. But instead of going out with a bang, the band appeared to be whimpering along. The once youthful arrogance of success was transformed into a more poignant complaint -- "If we quit, what else would we do? We've never had another job." John, somewhat more tactful, added "Duran Duran is like a football club. We've signed up for life."

With a follow-up album's appearance reaching new heights of procrastination and confusion, gossip became the order of the day. It could be said, with some truth, that the Duran wives were drawing more headlines than the band members themselves. All three hit the covers of Hello! magazine in family-related pictorials. The most frequent were the le Bons, first with Amber's birth, and, later, daughter Saffron's. In between, Yasmin got her own cover story travelling to South America while at least six months pregnant to demonstrate ecological devotion. She drew more attention, however, a few weeks earlier when a nude pregnant photo of her (Demi Moore, eat your heart out) sold at a charity auction to her husband. A tour of Julie Anne and Nick Rhodes' home foreshadowed their public breakup to anyone reading between the lines, but Julie Anne's dalliance with a new beau barely out of his teens drew more attention than the couple's bankruptcy and child custody tussles. 

And, finally, the perennial bachelor of the group, who had claimed not to be the marrying kind during his long association with (still beloved in some circles) model Renee Simonsen, ended up saying "I do" to someone even more immature than himself. New wife Amanda de Cadenet, most noted for her irresponsible behavior during her barely departed adolescence, made various ill advised public statements, some of which cost her her job hosting a music show. In addition, her stated desire to give birth live on TV only drew attention to her pregnant condition and their hastily arranged marriage. Even the reclusive and long departed Roger Taylor had his share of gossip as the story spread that he and wife Giovanna had split. Warren Cuccurullo alone seemed to keep his personal life personal, and did not follow in the short-lived Sterling Campbell's disemployed footsteps. Also during this period, Andy Taylor released an album of cover songs, the first single being a passable version of "Lola." An album of original material was also in the works.

If nothing else, the release of the band's seventh album marked a huge departure in the behavior of Capitol Records. Although Duran Duran always managed to garner at least some press for its continued releases, the sales of Liberty were abysmal in the American market with not a single song cracking the Top 40 and the LP sinking like a lead weight. Indeed, although videos were made for both "Violence of Summer" and "Serious" neither gained much airtime and "Serious" may never have been aired on MTV at all. The album didn't generate a lot of overseas success either, although some markets continued to react favorably.

At first it appeared an album might never be released -- tentative dates were each postponed by months and meetings with the record companies yielded no news. Finally, in the summer of 1992, it appeared the album (titled first "Four on the Floor", and later "Here Comes the Band") was not only completed and mixed, but produced. Promotional copies landed in the hands of various people. Yet the single release date (long held to be "Ordinary World") continued to be postponed and the album's release date was pushed back all the way to the end of February 1993.

Apparently the album was completely remixed, repackaged and reproduced (at what cost or to what purpose there was no explanation). The album tracks were largely the same, and bootleg copies sprang up like wildfire. Moreover, "Ordinary World", first performed live back in 1991 for a benefit concert, began to receive unreleased airings on various radio stations across the country and was released overseas back in the fall of 1992. Angry radio stations threatened Capitol with boycotts of any Duran (and perhaps other) material unless the airings were stopped. (It was even reported that the third single, "Too Much Information" was getting airplay.) Yet these and other word of mouth reports (notably from Eric Clapton who was reported to predict "O.W." as a "worldwide smash") created a niche for the group and single when it was finally released in December of 1992. It immediately landed on heavy rotation in stations across the country and also sprang up on MTV's show for most requested videos. It seemed that Duran Duran would have a fighting chance to reclaim the charts.

Yet some reports circulated it was only le Bon who was dedicated to saving the group. An appearance by him and Rhodes on the Billboard awards show was forced by Capitol Records, even though they got a publicity plum from Phil Collins who plugged "Ordinary World", (which was as yet unreleased.) This created the irony of Capitol Records finally making large efforts on behalf of a group which had ceased to care.

The irony was compounded by the fact that _The Wedding Album_ (an informal title which was ignored in favor of _Duran Duran_ , an existing release bound to create confusion) was their weakest since the highly publicized (and successful) _Seven and the Ragged Tiger_. It would seem Duran Duran was fated to be thrown in the limelight only when they had little to show for themselves.

111) **"Too Much Information"** : If one thing could be said for the new album, it's that the sound was different from much of Duran's previous repertoire. I would have preferred a less overwhelming and showy guitar line for this number but the melody itself is there, and le Bon's writing, while stylistically egregious, nevertheless tackles an interesting topic. For this album, this is one of the stronger songs, but it's a long way from previous hits.

112) **"Ordinary World":** One has to wonder if it was fate or this song itself which generated Capitol Records' newfound enthusiasm for this group. As a comeback song, it had excellent potential. Ballads had long become the mainstays of performers' repertoires as they had the tendency to stay lodged in the Top 10 for weeks at a time. The song was simple, intelligent, and it had a pleasant sad-but-wise lush melody and arrangement. (It seemed no coincidence it was released with "Save a Prayer" as a backing track, though perhaps it was greater testament to the power of the earlier song which was such a big unreleased hit that it was finally sent out on its own in 1985). It also had chart crossover appeal. Le Bon's voice had a soulful ring to it and the song's melody had enough power to maintain its charm even in an acoustic rendition. All it needed to be guaranteed a long run in the top spot would have been a movie tie-in.

113) **"Love Voodoo":** My own personal favorite from _Duran Duran_ , this song has a powerfully attractive melody, in a vein with the best of their past material. It's a terrific pop song, a simple, catchy melody, a smasher of a chorus, a sultry rhythm -- it had everything it needed to become a hit single, except that it wasn't released as such. My first listening of this was a bad recording of rehearsals in progress. Nonetheless I hummed the chorus for days, ignorant of the real lyrics (this has never been a particularly big stumbling block when it comes to le Bon's often unfathomable writing). Le Bon turns in a nice performance, understating his vocal emphasis to add to rather than compete with the instrumentals. This version suffers from a bit too much mixing, (I find the vocals to be too buried -- if he's going to sing we should be able to hear him clearly) but it brims with potential.

114) **"Drowning Man":** I think this could have been a big dance hit, but it suffered from the same lack of insight as "Love Voodoo". Duran proves they can still turn out a solid dance track no matter how many times they change their images. As much as any song on the album, the lyrics demonstrate le Bon's recent minimalist lyrical turn. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but then I don't understand a lot of modern art which his writing currently resembles. The bass and percussion are great -- in short, it's got a beat and you can dance to it. I give it a 33, Dick.

115) **"Shotgun":** This song has a funky little line, but nothing was done to it. Hey, guys, next time wait until you've got a whole song. The line will seem even better.

116) **"Come Undone":** When this song was released as a single, I feared for the fate of the album. To my mind it emphasized some of Duran's weakest traits -- poor writing, a formless melody line, and an emphasis on style over substance. On repeated listenings I've grown to like the song's bass line, le Bon's occasional soar, and its soothing tone. Nevertheless, if they were going to play it simple like this, what could have really made the song might have been a truly impassioned performance from le Bon. But I suspect that even if he was up to the challenge artistically, the melody may have been too much for him, vocally. When they performed it in concert, their back-up singer's solo gave this song exactly the kick it needed.

117) **"Breath After Breath":** Since I like Brasilian melodies and rhythms, I quite enjoyed this number. I wouldn't have thought the band and Milton Nascimento had much in common, but the guitar line is great and, most impressively, the trade offs between le Bon and Nascimento are complimentary. Most interestingly, Milton's lyrics are more banal than almost anything Simon's written, but I guess the US audience wouldn't notice. I would imagine this could be a hit in Latin America and a number of US stations. I also have a hankering to see one of the lovely, lavish, location shoot videos Duran used to make put to this. Something with a sunset, please.

118) **"U.M.F.":** Although this song was reportedly banned by the BBC, I can't imagine it would get a lot of airplay, anyway. It's a droopy melody with a dragging rhythm line. Simon's lyrics don't approach anything in most rap songs as far as the risque factor goes, and the back-up has an annoying atonal quality. It doesn't even have the good sense to end promptly. Simon's "mood sounds" at the end get particularly grating.

119) **"Femme Fatale":** Although I've never hear Lou Reed's version, this song sounds almost like a Beach Boys ballad without their characteristic vocal sound. Perhaps because of this reference, the song sounds sweet and innocent, despite its lyrics. It also marks the first time the band has ever put a cover song on their albums. It's particularly remarkable since they pulled a song of their own to put it on. Perhaps it was a good choice. The 60's feel to it continues in the ending, and I have to say I quite like the rendition.

120) **"None of the Above":** This song has some of the most interesting and revealing lyrics le Bon has written, showing real growth as an artist. Unfortunately, it's buried in a humdrum song with that continuing annoyingly atonal back-up blend. It deserves better -- the upbeat choice was good for this confessional tone, but it could have been a powerful piece with a proper setting.

121) **"Shelter":** The lyrics of this song seem like the worst sort of masculine insensitivity, but the obnoxious writing gets a better setting than its preceding track. Perhaps le Bon could find some way of switching them. The melody fluctuates in an eerie manner and has some explosive punch. It's tough to pin down and is well rendered. Duran has what it takes to be a good musical group; it's their decision making that seems the most flawed. Had they done this the other way around, this number and "None"'s lyrics could have been a hallmark of their musical maturity.

122) **"To Whom It May Concern":** The lyrics remind me vaguely of some of Paul Simon's material, but they have the angry bite that le Bon has increasingly let leak through to his writing. He walks a fine line between self-indulgence and sarcasm and the melody isn't all that sterling. It starts out sounding like Rod Stewart for two or three bars, then falls into another 60s groove less easily sorted out. But Duran's experimentation is still far preferable to the uninspiring meandering on some tracks of, say, "Notorious."

123) **"Sin of the City":** Astoundingly topical for le Bon, the lyrics again stand out. While it comes out unevenly, the effort is still laudable and his new clipped, pieced-together writing style suits this song well. The guitar sets the tone but, again, like in "Too Much" the melody is there. While the mix in "Too Much" was a bit too discordant, it seems just about right here. This isn't the type of song likely to become a big hit, but like a few others on this album, it looks nice on the resume.




Although the album was visibly uneven, _Duran Duran_ could be seen as a milestone for the group. It not only heralded a return in visibility to the group and a well-attended concert tour, but it was better to have critics examine an unusual effort from the band than to have them come up as empty handed as they did with _Seven._ It also would seem that the band was deliberately abandoning any effort to write the solid pop songs that brought them well deserved attention in the early 80s. With the exception of "Ordinary World", “Come Undone,” and the unreleased "Love Voodoo" none of their new compositions were really standard pop. Since that was Duran's forte, their future seemed a bit perilous. 

The release and non-reaction to _Thank You_ seemed to bear that out. As Annie Lennox made clear in her own album of covers, not much earlier than _Thank You_ , a terrific performer can have pitfalls doing a cover album. The band could not have chosen a worse time to do some reminiscing. Coming off of the declining success of the _Wedding Album_ , they still would have had sufficient pull to get a new single some decent airplay. Although the first single, "White Lines" was a stunning surprise in concert, the LP version lacked the crispness of their live renditions. Still, one would have expected it to get major airplay. It didn't, and the unfathomable choice of "Perfect Day" as the follow-up single seemed to consign the album to obscurity. 

It's possible Duran didn't have any solid new material to release, but a good original single might have had a better chance than a club cover. The album as a whole was well done by the band, but unexciting. Its mix of American and British tunes seemed to guarantee a slow response from the American market. For one, most of the American tracks are still frequently played on the radio (especially with the oldies format spreading to multiple stations in the same market). The British ones are generally tracks Americans aren't even familiar with, and to make matters worse, are quirkier tunes that aren't easily latched on to (which is why they weren't hits here the first time around). It's a pity because the band has done a nice job with the songs, and the album seemed to be a labour of sentimental affection.

Sentiment can be costly, though, and while the band may have satisfied many desires by covering these inspirational songs, a concerted effort to meet market expectations might have continued their momentum. The other problem with cover songs is that songs that appeal to the band may be too eclectic to fill an album, styles may be too different to create a consistent product, and there is the inevitable comparison to the original which detracts from the song's impact. The band has good musical taste, and for the fans, the album can be a treat, giving them an insight into how certain artists contributed to the band's own style. Duran has succeeded with past covers such as "Fame" and "Make Me Smile," but these were one-off B sides. Their rarity and isolation made them a treat. As a whole LP it proved to be an indulgence the band couldn't afford.

124) **"White Lines":** One of the problems with this album is evident in this first track. Although a good rendition, and well suited to the band, it is over-engineered. Raw energy and less mastering would have resulted in a classic Duran track. 

125) **"Wanna Take You Higher, Pt. I":** This is a good track for several reasons. For one, it is sufficiently different from the original that they can put their own mark upon it. For another they simply do a good job. Cuccurullo no doubt relished the guitar play he's gotten on it, and there is a spirit of fun in the tune from the bass line to the back-ups. The "Another One Bites the Dust" riff evident in the middle was a nice touch, the "Walk the Dinosaur" chant and other bits made for a nice melange. In some ways this would have been a better single than "White Lines." The problem, out of Duran's hands, is that radio has become so stratified the song probably couldn't be easily categorized for airplay.

126) **"Perfect Day":** Although this song is well positioned on the album and has a nice, lazy tone to balance the beat of the previous tracks, it can come across as a dirge on radio. Le Bon's vocals are nice, and the closing with the backing vocals is particularly pretty but "Lay Lady Lay" would been a much better single choice.

127) **"Watching the Detectives":** Listening to the first part of this track can make one flash back to the band's debut album. It's been a long time since we've heard le Bon as well matched by a melody's lilt. His performance is excellent, and the song goes well with his vocal range. Le Bon does moody and dark well, giving a nice undertone to the song's lyrics, and it's a particular pleasure for him to remind us why we all found _Duran Duran_ to be so insinuating and irrisistible. The album's best track.

128) **"Lay Lady Lay":** I approached this song with particular prejudice. I've always loathed Dylan's original. His absence of any vocal capability, and his ability to emphasize the sexist undertone of the lyrics never allowed me to actually judge the melody. So it is a particular tribute to Duran's arrangement that I found this song to be the prettiest on the album. Le Bon's much superior vocal abilities, and his rendition of the lyrics give it an appealing entreaty. Unfortunately, the closing could have been better. Rather than soar off at the end, the song would have been perfect had le Bon used some his whispering/layered-track-style used insinuatingly in other Duran tracks such as "Palomino" and "Secret Oktober." Even spoken word such as he often ad libs in concert would have gone well. The played up ending makes the song sound like a vehicle rather than heartfelt.

129) **"911 Is a Joke":** This track opens nicely and the filter for le Bon's voice was a wise choice. He's not bad rapping with someone else's lyrics, as he proved with the live "White Lines." Of course, it's hard for him to be credible singing this song. There's little doubt that any neighborhood le Bon has ever lived in is a far cry from any referred to here. It's a nice serviceable version, easy to listen to and giving Duran the sort of beat they've never had themselves. But the problem is that rap is not supposed to be an easy listening style. It's meant to challenge the listener and this rendition is unsurprising and smooth. Ear candy.

130) **"Success":** Whatever the appeal of this tune in its original version, Duran appears to have removed it. Neither live, nor on disc does this version shine. One can vaguely hear the freshness and raw edge this song would have had at the time of Iggy Pop's original release, but despite Le Bon's spirited efforts this only sounds warmed over now. It was another time and place and it can't be recaptured.

131) **"Crystal Ship":** Of all of Jim Morrison's richly vocaled writings, this may have been the prettiest. The band stays true to the original style, but le Bon's vocals sound very passable in that setting. (In fact, it's not hard to picture him throwing himself into this tune since adolescence). Though he can't compete with Morrison doing Morrison, it's probably a decent cover. This is the sort of song that would have been a dynamite B side that sent fans goose pimply. It also shows that a writer's own material is often the best showcase for his style. Hint, hint guys.

132) **"Ball of Confusion":** Le Bon doesn't have the edge to make this song soar. He also doesn't have the wealth of several strong singers enriching the track. The reason is rather obvious -- his own vocals wouldn't have stood out . Whether because of ego, budget, or scheduling, the song suffers for it. The arrangement does nothing for the song which just goes to show that less is often more.

133) **"Thank You":** I hadn't heard Led Zeppelin's original, but I could hear it in some of le Bon's efforts. I can even hear how it fell short. See the above hint in "Crystal Ship." This title track is probably the weakest one. Had it been an original Duran track it would have been fascinating. As redone Led Zeppelin, it bores.

134) **"Drive By":** Several scenes can be pictured while hearing this track. In the first one, some insistent Capital marketing employee demands a new Duran track on this album. (In this instance I would agree with them -- this album needs the time capsule opened). The band refuses, since they are already preparing a new original album. This argument went around once before on "Decade," where the band had a point, but should have taken their label's advice anyway for their own good. "Burning the Ground" was an ideal compromise. This was a joke. "Drive By" is new only if one hadn't attended a live show or seen a broadcast of it. Duran has previously turned out inexplicable, inferior knock-offs of their own material under new titles such as the horrid "YoBadAzisi," which, like this track, was often used as an extended opening to its original, "Is There..." Here we are all prepped for the "Chauffeur" when the track cuts off. Le Bon also overdoes the drama. The band may feel they stuck it to their record company by delivering this track but it's really the listeners they insulted. It also reminds one of what the band should have done if they weren't ready for an original studio album. Why not a live album (a real one, not an arid greatest hits like "Arena") of various original tracks and new renditions of previous hits from their 1987-1993 tours? Items like the 1987 "Hungry", "Reflex" and "Save a Prayer," 1989 medleys, and this whole tune would have been great on it.

135) **"Wanna Take You Higher Pt. II":** Why put a remix on the album? This one reminds one of the European Mix of "All She Wants Is" -- a sophisticated gloss that sounds like another band's take of the same song. It's enjoyable -- but why not put this on a CD single or 12 inch where it belongs? Why not give us another cover track? We've heard Duran do Bowie, and so much of their material is like Chic and Japan to start with, that maybe those covers would be too close to the truth? But how about a Roxy Music track ("Same Old Scene" and "Prarie Road" spring to mind?) Or maybe that cover of "I Feel Love" that Nick long ago mentioned they botched?





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